Senior special assistant to Governor Darius Ishaku on Public Affairs, Emmanuel Bello, has said that fertilizer distribution and sale would be strictly transparent. He said, “what our people need to know is that this is not politics but business. Government bought these fertilizers and intends to sell it at subsidised rates to farmers. And in business nothing matters but the buyer and the product. No body would allow for any foul play because this is for the people. This is the largest number of bags any government in Taraba has ever purchased. 20,000 metric tonnes costing over N2 billion is not what anyone would toy with. Government wants to reach every farmer with these. Same thing for the 150 units of tractors available. I spoke with the commissioner of agriculture, Dr. David Kassam, who assures me that the ministry would do the exercise in the best tradition of probity and transparency. Any official who tampers with anything shall be publicly disgraced. The commissioner is really excited because, this for him is a litmus test of what he has always believed in. The goal is to touch the lives of farmers and to ensure a bumper harvest.”

Bello noted further that Governor Ishaku does not discriminate on any matter, especially when it comes to the distribution of scarce resources among Taraba citizens. He said, “Governor Ishaku believes he’s a governor to all and not some few people. When it comes to any distribution of scarce resources, he’s always colour blind, not minding where you are from. He’s governor to those who voted him and those who also did not vote him. After elections, everyone now belongs to him so he’s working hard to give all our citizens, iresspective of their place in life, the good life.”

Meanwhile, Bello said the fertilizer distribution would immediately start where the rainfall season has started.